Aloe vera is a gentle aphrodisiac that enhances libido

Aloe vera is a plant that has a multitude of uses across the world. For instance, Nigerian locals often turn to aloe vera as a treatment for stomach ulcers, constipation, eczema, and so much more. Its application as an aphrodisiac has been gaining traction and, as shown in a study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, this particular use is more than justified.

For their experiment, researchers Joseph O. Erhabor and MacDonald Idu prepared an ethanol extract taken from the aloe vera root. They explained that this part of the plant is rich in a wealth of nutritional components that could potentially increase sexual performance.

In addition, they used 105 Wistar rats (75 males and 30 females) that weren’t in heat. The male rats were randomly allocated to five groups consisting of 15 animals each:

• Group A served as the control group and was only given a diluent.
• Groups B, C, and D were provided with 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight of aloe vera root ethanol extract, respectively.
• Group E was assigned five mg/kg of viagra.

Oral administration was carried out daily for two weeks, with mating behavioral studies occurring on the first, seventh, and fourteenth days of dispensing. Prior to each test, the female rats were injected with estradiol benzoate (a type of synthetic estrogen) and progesterone two days and four hours beforehand.

The mating behavioral studies themselves were defined by the number of mounts, intromissions, and intervals between the start of the experiments and ejaculation. These experiments also served as the basis for the libido test. Moreover, blood was sampled from the male rats during each test to determine serum testosterone concentrations and total cholesterol levels. Another part of the study tested the acute toxicity of the extract if any. This involved observing the animals for any changes, such as diarrhea, convulsions, or rapid breathing, post-extract administration.

Analyses of the findings revealed that the extract greatly improved the sexual behavior of the rats in groups B, C, and D. Compared to both the control and viagra groups, the animals mounted the female rats more frequently, spent less time between mounting and intromission, and were observed having longer ejaculations. These actions were marked as being indicative of enhanced sexual behavior and arousal.

As for what may have caused these changes, the researchers believe the answer may lie in the extract boosting testosterone and cholesterol. While testosterone is known to increase sexual desire, cholesterol is needed for regular testicular activity. The concentrations of both substances peaked with the administration of 100 and 200 mg/kg doses, with the 100 mg/kg dose elevating them on the first and fourteenth days.

Encouragingly, there were no considerable acute toxicological effects observed during the experiment. The researchers noted this as being particularly promising since viagra, a common remedy for erectile dysfunction, has a slew of side effects. The most common of these include nasal congestion, indigestion, and headaches. Other less frequent but nonetheless disturbing side effects range from sudden hearing loss to heart attacks to priapism, which refers to a long-lasting and painful erection. (Related: Viagra overdose forces man to have his penis amputated.)

With the results pointing to aloe vera root as having tremendous potential as an aphrodisiac, these issues may become a thing of the past. The lack of any noteworthy side effects and the fact that aloe vera is readily available in most countries is good news for men everywhere.

To read up on the other medicinal uses for aloe vera, go to NaturalMedicine.news today.

Sources include:

Science.news

MedicalNewsToday.com